We got stung on the Princess Referral Program!! Don't let it happen to you. This is what I found out:

You MUST refer your friends PRIOR to even HOLDING a cabin. Princess considers a "hold" to be a "booking"....because it is taken out of inventory. This applies to guarantee cabins and specific cabins.

John Q. Public considers a booking to be made once a DEPOSIT is given.

Could it be a flaw in the way they explain this Princess product to the public? I think they need to rewrite this policy.

Just thought I could help someone.

When you refer someone, Princess send them a letter advising them of the referral. A snail mail letter. Then they need to respond. All this takes time. Of course a reservation would preclude getting credit, so I don't see what you find wrong.

All forms were filled out online and our friends got an EMAIL reply the same day!!!

My point is the fact that Princess considers a HOLD to be a BOOKING. Most people feel that a DEPOSIT (CASH/CREDIT CARDS) are a Booking!

Princess policy should be more specific....otherwise we should all just keep giving them names of everyone we know....whether or not they intend to cruise in the near future...just in case! Actually, these folks were leaning toward Carnival Glory....

Why wouldn't you just cancel and rebook the cabin if it is outside of 90 days prior to sailing? Am I missing something here?

Once you are holding a cabin, usually for 24-48 hours, of course it is considered a booking.

Would you not have a different attitiude if they changed the price on your hold since you did not have a deposit down?

You can't cancel and rebook. I referred my sister and we booked a cruise. She had to cancel but now she nor I can get the referral monies because she has already booked before even though she has never sailed.

When you call up and put a hold on a cabin even though you are not booked Princess will not accept a referral from somebody on a hold even though they are not officially booked.

We have found out that first time cruisers with Princess get the best deals, the better cabins and locations..WHY!! Because they want to "suck y ou in" away from your favorite cruise line"..Got burnt once...and as they say.."fool me once is but fool me a second time...shame on me.. As a cruiser for over 24 years ...cruising ain't what it used to be...the type of classless and rude passengers, the service and all the things that made cruising special like french service, incredible food.. I don't need a rock wall or bowling.. So, I'll go back to my favorite cruise line..not Princess, and be treated with respect and almost what cruising used to be like...

You can't cancel and rebook. I referred my sister and we booked a cruise. She had to cancel but now she nor I can get the referral monies because she has already booked before even though she has never sailed.

When you call up and put a hold on a cabin even though you are not booked Princess will not accept a referral from somebody on a hold even though they are not officially booked.

Bill

Just to return to the original poster's topic.

Bill, very good point!

I have also had the same thing happen to me. Having tried many cruise lines I have found that right now Princess offers the best values of the mainstream/premium cruise lines. After recommending many friends to try Princess in the past, some have booked just a few days before I got around to sending in their names to Princess. Once they make that first booking or put a hold on their cabin it is then to late to send in their names to Princess to receive credit. Admittedly I had not thought of the problem when a cabin is on hold. If it is not spelled out, then certainly Princess should make that point clear.

The key is, as another poster mentioned, to send in the names of anyone who you have recommended try Princes and who may be thinking about it.

We are sailing Nov 15th. and the same thing happened to us. Two are past cruisers, two are not.. The one that booked through her TA. even the TA got the run around. So she called Princess directly. At this point, she/we have satisfaction.. the credit is gone from cruise credit area and they have assured (we will see) that the credit will be given to the CC on file as soon as the cruise fulfilled. As i said, we shall see... but so far so good.... It's a dumb policy and purposely so.